Since its inception in 1888, the English Football League has been a cornerstone of British culture. The English football pyramid encompasses a diverse array of clubs that serve communities across England, as well as parts of Wales, Jersey, Guernsey, and the Isle of Man.
This structure ranges from the prestigious Premier League down to the lower tiers, including the National League. It embodies the possibility for clubs of all sizes to ascend or descend through the ranks based on performance, illustrating the potential for even the smallest teams to achieve greatness in the sporting world.
In England, football is much more than a game; it’s a passionate embodiment of pride, tradition, and the relentless spirit of fans who regard it as a way of life. The sport fosters an emotional connection that transcends mere competition, creating unique rivalries and camaraderie among both small and large clubs, each symbolizing the identity and pride of their respective regions.
Join me as we explore the fascinating world of English football teams and uncover the rich narratives and unique stories that shape their journeys. Through this review of the EFL, we’ll gain deeper insights into the vibrant clubs that resonate with communities across the country
EFL Championship Teams
The English Football League Championship, also known as Sky Bet Championship for sponsorship reasons represents the highest English Football League competition. The EFL hosts some of the most successful clubs in English football with 11 EFL clubs having topped England’s premier division.
The EFL Championship attracted more than 21.5 million fans in the 2023/24 season making it the highest attended league body in all of Europe. The total market value of the EFL stands at €1.56 billion with the two most expensive teams being Burnley FC and Leeds United.
| Club Name | Year Established | Stadium | Manager |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sunderland | 1880 | Stadium of Light | Regis Le Bris |
| Sheffield United | 1889 | Bramall Lane | Chris Wilder |
| Burnley | 1882 | Turf Moor | Vincent Kompany |
| West Bromwich Albion | 1878 | The Hawthorns | Carlos Corberán |
| Leeds United | 1919 | Elland Road | Daniel Farke |
| Watford | 1881 | Vicarage Road | Tom Cleverly |
| Norwich City | 1902 | Carrow Road | Johannes Hoff Thorup |
| Blackburn Rovers | 1875 | Ewood Park | John Eustace |
| Middlesbrough | 1876 | Riverside Stadium | Michael Carrick |
| Oxford United | 1893 | Kassam Stadium | Des Buckingham |
| Swansea City | 1912 | Swansea.com Stadium | Luke Williams |
| Derby County | 1884 | Pride Park | Paul Warne |
| Hull City | 1904 | MKM Stadium | Tim Walter |
| Plymouth Argyle | 1886 | Home Park | Wayne Rooney |
| Sheffield Wednesday | 1867 | Hillsborough | Danny Röhl |
| Bristol City | 1894 | Ashton Gate | Liam Manning |
| Stoke City | 1863 | bet365 Stadium | Narcis Pelach |
| Millwall | 1885 | The Den | Neil Harris |
| Preston North End | 1880 | Deepdale | Paul Heckingbottom |
| Coventry City | 1883 | Coventry Building Society Arena | Mark Robins |
| Luton Town | 1885 | Kenilworth Road | Rob Edwards |
| Queens Park Rangers | 1882 | Loftus Road | Marti Cifuentes |
| Portsmouth | 1898 | Fratton Park | John Mousinho |
| Cardiff City | 1899 | Cardiff City Stadium | Erol Bulut |
EFL League One Teams
Under the Premier League and the EFL Championship, the English Football League One is the third division in the English football hierarchy. It is also referred to as Sky Bet League One for sponsorship purposes. It has 24 clubs that play 46 games a season, twice at home and away from each other.
By season’s end, the three teams that finished at the bottom of the Championship are demoted to League One. Barnsley, Birmingham City, and Blackpool are just a few of the League One teams that have historically been Premier League participants. As a result of the worst four teams being demoted to League Two, there is a fierce fight for both survival and promotion.
| Club Name | Year Established | Stadium | Manager |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barnsley | 1887 | Oakwell Stadium | Darrell Clarke |
| Birmingham City | 1875 | St Andrew’s | Chris Davies |
| Blackpool | 1887 | Bloomfield Road | Steve Bruce |
| Bolton Wanderers | 1877 | Toughsheet Community Stadium | Ian Evatt |
| Bristol Rovers | 1883 | Memorial Stadium | Matt Taylor |
| Burton Albion | 1950 | Pirelli Stadium | Mark Robinson |
| Cambridge United | 1912 | Cledara Abbey Stadium | Garry Monk |
| Charlton Athletic | 1905 | The Valley | Nathan Jones |
| Crawley Town | 1896 | Broadfield Stadium | Rob Elliot |
| Exeter City | 1901 | St James Park | Gary Caldwell |
| Huddersfield Town | 1908 | John Smith’s Stadium | Michael Duff |
| Leyton Orient | 1881 | Gaughan Group Stadium | Richie Wellens |
| Lincoln City | 1965 | LNER Stadium | Michael Skubala |
| Mansfield Town | 1897 | One Call Stadium | Nigel Clough |
| Northampton Town | 1897 | Sixfields Stadium | Jon Brady |
| Peterborough United | 1934 | Weston Homes Stadium | Darren Ferguson |
| Reading | 1871 | Select Car Leasing Stadium | Rubén Sellés |
| Rotherham United | 1925 | New York Stadium | Steve Evans |
| Shrewsbury Town | 1886 | Montgomery Waters Meadow | Paul Hurst |
| Stevenage | 1976 | The Lamex Stadium | Alex Revell |
| Stockport County | 1883 | Edgeley Park | Dave Challinor |
| Wigan Athletic | 1932 | Brick Community Stadium | Shaun Maloney |
| Wrexham | 1864 | STōK Cae Ras | Phil Parkinson |
| Wycombe Wanderers | 1887 | Adams Park | Matt Bloomfield |
EFL League Two Teams
The English Football League Two is the fourth division overall in the English football league system and the third tier of the English Football League. It is also known as League Two and Sky Bet League Two for commercial purposes. Every team in the league plays 46 games a season, twice at home and once away, against the other 24 clubs in the league.
Historically, this league has included teams like Bradford City and Swindon Town who were once members of the Premier League. English football’s promotion and relegation system depends on the league, and teams strive to advance up the levels by securing a spot in League Two.
| Club Name | Year Established | Stadium | Manager |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barrow AFC | 1901 | Holker Street | Stephen Clemence |
| Doncaster Rovers | 1879 | Eco-Power Stadium | Grant McCann |
| Gillingham FC | 1893 | Priestfield Stadium | Mark Bonner |
| Walsall FC | 1888 | Poundland Bescot Stadium | Mat Sadler |
| AFC Wimbledon | 2002 | Plough Lane | Johnnie Jackson |
| Port Vale FC | 1876 | Vale Park | Darren Moore |
| Notts County | 1862 | Meadow Lane | Stuart Maynard |
| Crewe Alexandra | 1877 | Mornflake Stadium | Lee Bell |
| Fleetwood Town | 1997 | Highbury Stadium | Charlie Adam |
| Milton Keynes Dons | 2004 | Stadium MK | Scott Lindsey |
| Bradford City | 1903 | University of Bradford Stadium | Graham Alexander |
| Newport County | 1912 | Rodney Parade | Nélson Jardim |
| Grimsby Town | 1878 | Blundell Park | David Artell |
| Chesterfield FC | 1867 | SMH Group Stadium | Paul Cook |
| Salford City | 1940 | Peninsula Stadium | Karl Robinson |
| Tranmere Rovers | 1884 | Prenton Park | Nigel Adkins |
| Harrogate Town | 1919 | The Exercise Stadium | Simon Weaver |
| Colchester United | 1937 | JobServe Community Stadium | Danny Cowley |
| Bromley FC | 1892 | Hayes Lane | Andy Woodman |
| Cheltenham Town | 1887 | EV Charger Points Stadium | Michael Flynn |
| Carlisle United | 1904 | Brunton Park | Mike Williamson |
| Swindon Town | 1879 | County Ground | Mark Kennedy |
| Accrington Stanley | 1891 | Wham Stadium | John Doolan |
| Morecambe FC | 1920 | Mazuma Mobile Stadium | Derek Adams |
National League Teams
The top division of the National League system and the fifth tier of the entire English football league structure is the National League. This means the national league is the lowest division in the English football pyramid, acting as the top competition for England’s semi-professional clubs. The league system at this level of competition involves 24 national league teams.
| Club Name | Year Established | Stadium | Manager |
|---|---|---|---|
| AFC Fylde | 1988 | Mill Farm Sports Village | Kevin Phillips |
| Aldershot Town | 1992 | EBB Stadium at The Recreation Ground | Thomas Widdrington |
| Altrincham | 1891 | Moss Lane | Phil Parkinson |
| Barnet | 1888 | The Hive Stadium | Dean Brennan |
| Boston United | 1933 | Boston Community Stadium | Ian Culverhouse |
| Braintree Town | 1898 | Cressing Road | Angelo Harrop |
| Dagenham & Redbridge | 1881 | Chigwell Construction Stadium | Benjamin John Stevens |
| Eastleigh | 1946 | Silverlake Stadium | Kelvin Davis |
| Ebbsfleet United | 1946 | Stonebridge Road | Harry Watling |
| FC Halifax Town | 1911 | The Shay | Chris Millington |
| Forest Green Rovers | 1889 | The Bolt New Lawn | Steve Cotterill |
| Gateshead | 1977 | Gateshead International Stadium | Benjamin Clark |
| Hartlepool United | 1908 | Victoria Park | Darren Saril |
| Maidenhead United | 1870 | York Road | Alan Devonshire |
| Oldham Athletic | 1895 | Boundary Park | Micky Mellon |
| Rochdale | 1907 | Crown Oil Arena | Jimmy McNulty |
| Solihull Moors | 2007 | Damson Park | Andy Whing |
| Southend United | 1906 | Roots Hall | Kevin Maher |
| Sutton United | 1898 | VBS Community Stadium | Steve Morison |
| Tamworth | 1933 | The Lamb Ground | Andy Peaks |
| Wealdstone | 1899 | Grosvenor Vale | Simon Taylor |
| Woking | 1887 | The Laithwaite Community Stadium | Michael Doyle |
| Yeovil Town | 1895 | Huish Park | Mark Cooper |
| York City | 1922 | York Community Stadium | Adam Hinshelwood |
Premier League Teams
20 clubs compete in the Premier League, which is the highest level of the English football league system. In cooperation with the English Football League, it operates under a promotion and relegation system. August to May is the usual start of the season, during which each team plays 38 games, twice at home and once away, against every other team.
The Premier League is televised in 212 regions, reaching 643 million homes and possibly drawing an audience of 4.7 billion viewers. It is widely regarded as the most-watched sports league in the world.
| Club Name | Year Established | Stadium | Manager |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manchester City | 1880 | Etihad Stadium | Pep Guardiola |
| Brentford FC | 1889 | Gtech Community Stadium | Thomas Frank |
| Arsenal FC | 1886 | Emirates Stadium | Mikel Arteta |
| Fulham FC | 1879 | Craven Cottage | Marco Silva |
| Newcastle United | 1892 | St James’ Park | Eddie Howe |
| Ipswich Town | 1878 | Portman Road | Kieran McKenna |
| Manchester United | 1878 | Old Trafford | Ruben Amorim |
| Aston Villa | 1874 | Villa Park | Unai Emery |
| Everton FC | 1878 | Goodison Park | Sean Dyche |
| Tottenham Hotspur | 1882 | Tottenham Hotspur Stadium | Ange Postecoglou |
| Southampton FC | 1885 | St. Mary’s Stadium | Russell Martin |
| AFC Bournemouth | 1890 | Vitality Stadium | Andoni Iraola |
| Wolverhampton Wanderers | 1877 | Molineux Stadium | Gary O’Neil |
| Nottingham Forest | 1865 | City Ground | Nuno Espírito Santo |
| Crystal Palace | 1905 | Selhurst Park | Oliver Glasner |
| Liverpool FC | 1892 | Anfield | Arne Slot |
| West Ham United | 1895 | London Stadium | Julen Lopetegui |
| Chelsea FC | 1905 | Stamford Bridge | Enzo Maresca |
| Leicester City | 1884 | King Power Stadium | Ruud van Nistelrooy |
| Brighton & Hove Albion | 1901 | American Express Community Stadium | Fabian Hürzeler |
England National Football Team
The English football team nicknamed “The Three Lions” is the national soccer team in England. The home team is hosted in the prestigious Wembley Stadium and the national team places fourth on the FIFA rankings. The England national football team is controlled by the Football Association which governs all soccer-related activities in England.
Being the world’s oldest national football team together with Scotland, England have a dominant impact in European football. The first team squad is coached by interim Lee Carley and will be coached by Thomas Tuchel form January 2025. The top scorer of all time is Harry Kane with 68 goals. England played their home matches across the nation for the first fifty years of their existence.
Before switching to football club stadiums, they first used cricket grounds. For the British Empire Exhibition, Wembley, London, was the site of the construction of the original Empire Stadium. Scotland, Germany, and Argentina are England’s three principal rivals.
History of English Football Leagues
The world’s oldest league football competition is the English Football League (EFL). It was established in 1888 when twelve forward-thinking clubs banded together to form the Football League, led by William McGregor. These founding clubs laid the foundation for what is now a worldwide sports institution, which included titans like Aston Villa, Blackburn Rovers, and Everton.
With 72 member clubs now in the league, it reflects the enduring love and legacy of football communities throughout Wales and England. The English football league system, commonly referred to as the “football pyramid,” is a tiered framework that enables teams to advance through promotion and relegation between several tiers of competition.
Leaders in order of rank are the Premier League, Championship, League One, League Two, and the EFL National League. One of the most competitive and prestigious systems in world football, the system allows even the smallest clubs to succeed on the field.
In addition to the league system, knockout events like the EFL Trophy and Carabao Cup provide teams with exciting chances to compete at Wembley and give supporters a taste of cup glory. League Two and League One, the former Third and Fourth Divisions of the Football League were established in 1920, respectively, are located beneath the Championship.
First founded as the Alliance Premier League in 1979, the National competition is the top non-league football competition and the fifth division of English football. Established in 2004 as regional divisions beneath the National League, the National League North and South gave clubs the chance to advance to the National League and allowed for a more geographically balanced competition.
Promotion and Relegation System
By virtue of the promotion and relegation system, English Football League teams can shift between divisions based on their performance in each season. While the bottom teams are usually dropped to the league below, the top clubs in each league are usually immediately promoted to the next higher tier.
As an illustration, in the EFL Championship, the top two teams go directly to the Premier League, while the third-place team goes to the play-offs. Third through sixth-placed teams compete in the play-offs, while the top two teams in League One advance automatically. Teams in fourth through eighth place go to the playoffs, while the top three teams in League Two are assured promotions.
The teams that place slightly below the automatic promotion slots compete in a series of matches that make up the playoffs. This refers to the clubs that place third through sixth in the Championship & League One, and fourth through seventh in League Two. Two-leg semi-finals are part of the playoff format.
The clubs with higher finishing places host the second leg, and the winner is determined by the total score. The semi-final winners compete in a final that must be determined on the day, possibly involving extra time and penalties if needed. The last position for promotion to the next division is guaranteed to the play-off overall winner.
Frequently Asked Questions on English Football Teams
How many teams are in English Football?
The English football league system features a total of 92 professional clubs across its top four championships.
What clubs are in the English Football League?
The Premiere League’s top clubs include Man United, Liverpool, Chelsea, Man City and Arsenal. EFL Championship has 24 teams with the top three this season being Sunderland, Sheffield United, and Burnley. League One and Two each have 24 clubs.
How many teams are in the Premier League?
The Premier League has a total of 20 teams.
Which teams have always been in the topflight of English football?
Several teams in the Premier League have left their mark on English football, however, a few have never been relegated and have always maintained their place in the topflight. The top-flight English football teams of all time include Arsenal, Chelsea, Everton, Liverpool, Manchester United, and Tottenham.